8 Secret Things You Didn't Know About 3D Character Animation

Don’t deny it. Whatever your age may be, when an animated movie comes on TV, you’d definitely want to grab a bowl of popcorn and settle down on a couch and watch it. Be it any genre, animated movies have a way of grabbing attention with their brilliant graphics and the ingenious creativity of the makers. Here are some facts about 3D Character Animation that you wouldn’t have heard of before.

1. Not as easy as it may seem!
3D Character Animation is no easy business. The final movie that you watch is the end product of a series of steps. The entire process can be broadly divided into three steps- modeling, layout and animation, rendering. In modeling, the character is built. Starting from rough idea sketches to the finest detail on the character in 3D, everything is done in the modeling stage. Layout and animation is the main stage, where the characters are brought to life. The locations, setting, and movement are all designed during this stage. Rendering stage is what adds the final touch up to the Animation. Rendering adds special effects such as shadow, depth, smoke, etc.

2. Years of work for a two and a half hour movie
Yes! You read that right. The time period taken to create an animated movie can go from months to years, depending on the length, quality of graphics and the rendering of the movie. Companies such as Pixar take 6- 9 years to create their best works. A simple 1-minute animation can take up to a week for an animator. So next time you see an animated movie, don’t disregard it as a silly child’s show. It is the time and creative effort of many geniuses.

3. You should know it all
Starting from details of human anatomy to the psychology of horses! The more you know, the better. 3D character animation gets more interesting with more details. Perfection in detailing can only be achieved through observation and practice. Thorough research has to be done about the characters before designing them so that the viewer gets to truly feel the character.

4. Exaggeration
It’s nice to be a bit extra sometimes. The most fun feature about 3D Computer Animation is exaggerating the character's features and actions. This sets them apart from real-life characters. Exaggeration adds energy to the characters and grabs the viewer’s attention easily.

5. High- end Workstations
Animation and rendering software require powerful systems that have more than one processor and a graphics card with higher specifications. The better the workstation, the more efficient and faster is the animation and rendering process.

6. Growing Field
The number of students opting for a career in 3D Animation has increased drastically. There is a large demand for skilled Animators, in a multitude of fields. If you wish to use any type of animation for your website or for advertising and marketing, many companies offer 3D Animation Services. Freelancing Animators are also very common these days who are probably much more creative and skilled.

7. Software for 3D Character Animations
Many softwares are coming up with a large range of features for better 3D Character Animation. The latest in the field is Blender created by Blender Foundation. It is a professional software used for creating animated films, 3D printed models, etc. Other software includes Autodesk Maya, Wings 3D, and many others.

8. Got the skill? Then your pockets will be full!
3D Animation is one of the most sought-after careers in the field of Art and Design. Animation now plays a major role, not just in movies, but also in the fields of teaching, gaming, marketing, navigation, etc. Thus if you’ve got the dedication and skill, you can make some good cash in this field. Depending on their skill, animators earn up to $116,000 yearly. That’s good news!

About The Author
Kavya gajjar is a Marketing Manager at AIS Technolabs which is Web design and Development Company, helping global businesses to grow by 3D Animation Services. I would love to share thoughts on Social Media Marketing Services and Game Design Development etc.